I'm very interested how your vets proceed with horses which are not
really lame but a little unclear (slightly off?) on endurance events.
Do the vets warn the riders ? Do you have check/ rider cards where
the vets fill in their diagnosis ?
In Germany, the horse must almost be fit to go 20 km (15 mls) further
without pain or damage, or will be eliminated. for practical use, the
vets distinguish between 4-5 lameness grades. We make no big
differences between pre ride, ride and post ride evaluation.
L1 is allowed to start or go further, but "conditional", slowly. If
the lameness become worse, the rider is out.
L2 is mostly out.
Once I read that at some rides (in the USA?) the vets mark the legs
of critical horses with BRIGHT COLOUR to help their colleagues and
warn the rider. My oppinion: No bad idea, because the so
"brand-marked" rider will ride more carefully! Does anyone knows such
a rough practice ? Or do you have more sophisticated solutions (as we
have, with our check-cards) ?
Or do you let them go further anywhere ? Sometimes, when I read the
result lists of the US-rides, I'm astonished about the fact you ride
only excellent horses. But is this true ? Only an example: 50 mls: 45
starters, 42 finishers. In germany, we would have 30 finishers - at
the most ! (I'm not shure, maybe we/ our vets are too carefully??)
I read in an article of DVM Mackay-Smith in some US-rides the
post-ride-evaluation criteria is "sound at walk" instead of the older
"fit to continue/ sound at trot". Is that true ? If yes, is it a good
solution ? What is your oppinion ?
I will be thankfull also for private email answers. Please mention if
you are an experienced rider, official person or ride manager,
because I don't know you exactly in the states.
regards FRANK